Somalia 'to ratify UN child pact'

[nuune]

BBC: 12:00 GMT, Friday, 20 November 2009

 

 

Somalia 'to ratify UN child pact'

 

Somalia has vowed to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - a move that would leave the US as the only nation not to back the accord.

 

The UN, which is celebrating 20 years since the agreement was put into force, welcomed Somalia's announcement.

 

But analysts say the Somali government has little authority and its rulings are largely unenforceable.

 

The US helped draft the agreement, but conservative politicians have argued its measures impinge on sovereignty.

 

'Remarkable' impact

 

The BBC's East Africa correspondent Peter Greste says it is hard to think of a place where children are more at risk than Somalia.

 

The country is in its 18th year of a crippling civil conflict in which youngsters are routinely forced to fight, and child mortality is among the highest in the world.

 

So our correspondent says the decision to ratify the agreement will be seen as an important symbolic step.

 

Unicef, the UN's children's agency, welcomed the announcement and reminded the Somali government that ratifying the convention was a commitment to protect children's rights.

 

Ceremonies are taking place around the world to mark the 20th anniversary of the agreement.

 

The UN says the convention has has had a "remarkable" impact on children's lives, but warns that one billion youngsters still go without food, shelter or healthcare.

 

The convention guarantees children the right to life, education, and the right to play and to be protected from abuse.

 

It has the widest international support of any human rights treaty - ratified by 193 countries.

 

The US and Somalia have both signed the agreement - but neither country has ratified it.

 

Somalia's transitional government, which is backed by the UN and African Union, is engaged in a fierce power struggle with several Islamist militant groups.

 

In effect, the government controls only parts of the capital, Mogadishu.

 

The rest of the country is controlled by Islamist militants and warlords.

 

Source: BBC NEWS

[Muriidi]

i don't understand...your riddle that is...

 

are you saying somalia and the u.s. are refusing to surrender ?

 

i don't think the fascination among the public for such issues will ever rise over : "if we don't do something about pollution...in a 143 years ..bla bla something something .."

 

you know that the signing/ratifying is just symbolic ,and that the (forces?) we would be dealing with if we expected anything from any regime...would mean the eradication of mankind.

leaving us with mutants who think they can talk to devils and such.

 

 

great resolution though...and the U.N. is an organization who tries to grow "with" the global community and not go fast forward...